Recently, I was speaking with Babette Beene, environmental services manager at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and loyal Facility Cleaning Decisions reader, when she gave me fantastic news. Her department had been recognized with the Association for the Healthcare Environment’s (AHE) 2014 Environmental Services Department of the Year award.

This award is certainly well-deserved: the U.S. News and World Report is consistently rating the facility No. 1 in the country for cancer care, and Beene’s department works tirelessly to create an infection-free environment throughout the 2.3 million square feet of cleanable space.

The 600-bed facility won in the 450-plus bed category and was recognized for outstanding environmental services performance in 14 critical areas. The department was commended for everything from their hand hygiene and environmental cleaning programs to their use of cleaning technologies and inspection processes. They were also praised for the extra measures taken to ensure a healing environment and ongoing training provided for the frontline staff.

According to Beene, the recognition was fantastic for the entire department, which was rewarded with some media coverage and treated to a luncheon.

“We have an exceptional management team, along with more than 340 frontline staff,” she told me. “It’s a wonderful, hardworking team, and being recognized for the dedication to our patients is a fantastic thing.”

I couldn’t agree more. This is exactly the type of information I am looking for from readers.

Whether the department was recognized with an award, received green certification, or a new manager was named, I want to know about it. Did you host a Housekeeping Olympics competition, or have you or someone on your staff done something special within the community? If so, tell me about it.

We’ll feature it on CleanLink.com, as well as within a new section coming soon to Facility Cleaning Decisions. It’s about time you get the credit you deserve.




POSTED ON: 4/21/2015